Everybody Has a Dark Side, Everybody Has Secrets
by WTF is going on here
Summary: (Takes place after season 1) AU, August-centric. After the curse was broken, August immediately becomes human again, and goes to see his father. While they get to know each other again, August reveals some dark and painful secrets to his father. Secrets that will change things between them forever. (Warning: Contains talk of depression, suicide attempts, drug abuse, and rape.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone mentioned in this story. I'm only borrowing them for this story, which is only being made for entertainment purposes, not profit.

August hurried up the street, wanting to get to his father's house as soon as he could. The Dark Curse had just been broken, and everyone in Storybrooke now had their memories back. August had desperately missed his father over the last twenty-eight years, and refused to wait any longer. He also had a few things that he felt he should tell his father about, things besides the fact that he'd abandoned Emma when she was just a baby. Though he hoped his father would forgive him for that, he knew that the other things he needed to tell Gepetto were much worse.

August finally made it to Gepetto's house on the edge of town. He ran up the driveway, looking for his father. Gepetto was standing in his workshop, and looked up when he heard August.

Gepetto looked at at August. "P-pinocchio?" He asked in a mix of hope and surprise.

August smiled, relived. "Yeah, Papa. It's me."

August and Gepetto both hurried foward, and hugged each other for the first time in almost thirty years.

Gepetto was the first to speak. "Oh, Pinocchio...my boy, I can't believe you're here!" He pulled away from August for a minute, and gave him a good look, head to toe. "You're a grown man now." He continued, sadly. "I can't believe it's been twenty-eight years since we last saw each other. I missed your whole life."

August and Gepetto shared a look, both sad about the twenty-eight years of time together that they had missed out on. Semmingly coming to a decision, Gepetto straightened. "Come inside, son." He invited August, motioning to the door leading into his kitchen. "Let's have lunch and catch up. I want to hear everything about you."

August followed his father inside, feeling both estatic and worried. Yes, he now had his father back, but now he father would see just how much his little boy had changed. August would now have to tell his father all about his dark and painful past.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone mentioned in this story. I'm only borrowing them for this story, which is only being made for entertainment purposes, not profit.

August nervously followed his father into the house, worried about his father's reaction to what he had to tell him. He'd have to tell his father sooner or later; most of what he had to tell Geppetto was impossible to hide. All it would take was one good look at him while his sleeves were up, and Geppetto would see the evidence of just how much his son had changed.

August and Geppetto walked into the small kitchen for lunch. Geppetto motioned to the small table.

"Sit down, I'll get lunch ready. It'll have to be leftovers though; I don't really have anything else at the moment."

"That's okay. I don't mind." August replied, still distracted by his worried thoughts. He watched as his father put some leftovers in the oven, then sat down at the table across from him.

Gepetto took a moment took study August again, then he spoke. "I can't believe it's been so long. I missed your whole life. How old are you now?"

"Thirty-five, Father."

Geppetto sadly shook his head. "Thirty-five. The last time I saw you, you were just a little boy, now you're a grown man." Before he could continue, there was a knock at the door. Both men got to answer it, and when they did, it was to see an out of breath Jiminy standing on Geppetto's small front porch.

Jiminy looked up when he heard the door open, and looked hopeful when he saw both of them. "Geppetto?" He asked, looking at the old woodcarver.

Geppetto smiled, and nodded at his old friend. "That's me, old friend. Glad to see you have your real memories back too."

Smiling wider, Jiminy looked at August. "Pinocchio?"

August gave him a small smile. "Hi, Jiminy."

Geppetto motioned for Jiminy to follow him inside. "Please, come in. Pinocchio and I were getting ready to have lunch. Please, join us."

The three of them went inside, and sat at Geppetto's small dining table.

Both Gepetto and Jiminy, who were both sitting straight in their chairs, turned to face August, who was slouching in his seat. Both of the older men were happy to be reunited again, and both of them wanted to hear about Pinocchio's life. They both wanted to try to get to know the man that their boy had become.

August, on the other hand, was worried about what his father and his father's best friend's reaction to everything he had to tell them. Even if they somehow forgave him for abandoning Emma, there was no way they'd ever want him around. Not once he told them just how screwed up he really was.

"So, Pinocchio..." Gepetto started.

"August. My name is August." The former puppet corrected. "I haven't been Pinocchio in a **long** time. I'm nothing like the little boy you two remember. I've changed. You guys need to try to get that."

Both of the older men nodded. That was understandable. After all, it **had **been twenty-eight years since they'd last seen each other.

"August, I just want to tell you something." Geppetto told him. "I know that I made you promise to look after Emma here, and from what I understand, that didn't happen."

August tried to brace himself for his fathers' disappointment and/or anger.

"I'm sorry. I should never have tried to place such a burden on you. You were only a child. You still needed to be looked after yourself; there was no way you could raise a baby. Especially in an unfamiliar world. Whatever happened wasn't your fault."

Auguat looked at his father in surprise. That wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. He pushed the thought away, to deal with another time. There was more important things to talk to his father about. August knew that he had to do it as soon as possible, or he'd lose his nerve.

Taking a deep breath, August looked at his father and his friend. "I have something I need to tell you both."

"About Emma?" Asked Jiminy.

"No, it's about me." August reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a small pill bottle. He passed it to Jiminy, hoping he still had his fake psychologist memories.

Jiminy picked up the bottle, frowing slightly. "What's this?" He asked, trying to hide his growing worry.

"Read the label." August answered.

Jiminy did so, and immediatly became even more worried for his friend's son.

"What is it?" Geppetto asked, worried by Jiminy's expression.

"This is Zoloft. It's an anti-depressant." Jiminy answered. He turned back to August. "You're on anti-depressants? Why?"

"Because I was diagnosed with depression when I was twelve."

"And...why were you diagnosed with depression when you were only twelve?" Jiminy asked, concerned.

"Because that's how old I was the **first** time I ever tried to kill myself."


End file.
